This invention relates to an inflatable plumbing test plug and method of using the inflatable plumbing test plug.
In every building under construction, the sewer pipes and associated fittings within the building must be tested for leaks during the rough phase of plumbing. This is accomplished by inserting an uninflated test plug into the two way clean out down to the sewer line, and inflating the test plug to block the sewer line. The sewer pipes within the building are then hydrostatically tested by filling them with water through the uppermost vent pipe to determine if there are any leaks. Upon completion of the hydrostatic test, the test plug is deflated and removed, and the water within the sewer pipes discharged into the sewer line.
The type of test plug most commonly used is an inflatable plug. An inflatable test plug of the type commonly in current use is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,439.
Since the building drain line and sewer line are typically anywhere from two to five feet or more below grade, it is often difficult to get the test plug properly inserted into the sewer line through the two way clean out. In addition, prior test plugs are often forced downstream and lost due to the pressure from the water test.
An additional problem is encountered if the test shows that there are leaks in the sewer pipes and associated fittings inside the building. In such an eventuality the test plug must be withdrawn, the leaks repaired, and the system re-tested by reinserting the test plug and repeating the process, thus repeating the problem of proper insertion of the test plug into the sewer line.